


Wormtail

by crossingwinter



Series: Somewhat canonical [21]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: (I made up a small thing), Character Study, Gen, Not Era Specific, by and large?, though canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-18
Updated: 2013-09-18
Packaged: 2017-12-26 22:22:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/970965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crossingwinter/pseuds/crossingwinter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The different sides of Wormtail.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wormtail

“What about…” But even Sirius was stumped.  Moony had been easy, Prongs had been clever, but once they’d gotten around to Padfoot, it had taken them quite a bit of creative energy.  There wasn’t any left for him.

-

Sirius tilted back in his chair so that it rested only on the back two legs.  “You know, I still think Wormtail’s plan is the best.  I mean, it’s not like Snape wouldn’t be much improved sans hair.”  It was the first time he’d ever picked Peter’s plan, and Peter was quite pleased with himself.

-

When Peter snuck a bit of chocolate into the hospital wing for him, Remus smiled at him.  “You’re really wonderful sometimes, Wormtail.”  And Peter felt loved.

-

“I’ll send Wormtail to you.  He should be…useful.”  From the Dark Lord’s tone, it was evident that he did not believe the words he was saying.

-

“Do you ever get the feeling she might just…not like me?” James was playing with his glasses, Peter knew so that he wouldn’t have to see the pitying expression in his face when Peter either confirmed or denied his worst fears. 

-

When they had all dispersed, he went back to the Riddle House.  James’ and Lily’s voices were ringing in his ears.  He didn’t let himself cry himself to sleep, but it was a damn near miss.

-

He sat on the knot, embracing the moonlight, trying not to think about what would happen if James and Sirius weren’t as clever as they thought they were.

-

The Thomas boy hates him.  Ollivander doesn’t even look at him.  The Lovegood girl, though, she stares just as dreamily as her mother once did.  He doesn’t like to think about what happened to her mother.  He went with Bill to the funeral and thought about James the entire time.

-

The cat was on to him.  The _cat_ was on to him.

-

“You all right, Wormtail?” He hadn’t realized that James had noticed his trembling hands.  He didn’t have the strength to shake his head.  So he tried to smile instead.  James saw that too, and put a hand on his shoulder.

-

“Why do they call you Wormtail?” Lily asked.  She was lying on her back, looking up through the tree branches, and the green of the leaves matched her eyes.  “It’s never seemed very nice to me.”

-

He had to bury the old man in the garden behind the house.  He didn’t do it well enough, and the police found him the next day.  He was sweating profusely when he told the Dark Lord.

-

Remus was so close to him, for the first time in years.  But surely, he wouldn’t suspect…not when Sirius had killed him.  He wouldn’t look twice at Ron’s rat…  He smells the same as he always did, a little musky, a little chocolaty.  Peter curls into a tighter ball, ignoring the pangs in his chest.

-

“Wormtail?” he suggested at last, after _Whiskers_ , _Scuttlebutt_ , and _Ratso_. 

“Yeah, Wormtail’s good,” grinned James.  “Well done there, Pete!”

-

They came out, first James, then Remus, then Sirius.  Peter breathed again, and he scuttled onto Sirius’ back.  The three of them broke into a run.

-

“It’s not mean,” he mumbled.  “It’s a nickname.  A term of endearment.  You know?”  Lily looked at him skeptically, and took his hand.

“They could’ve done better for you.”

-

“You should just ask her, and quit whining, Wormy,” griped Sirius.  “Besides, she can do better than old Xeno Lovegood.”

-

He was almost relieved when Harry got away.

-

When the Dementors come into the room, he was scared he’d faint and transform.  But he didn’t.  Instead, he heard James’ voice and Sirius’, the voices of the friends whose lives he’d shattered.

-

“Wormtail?” Snape’s eyebrow arched, and Peter was tempted to scream at him, to rage at him, to fight him.  But he’d never been good at that—not the way James had been.  James had had a particular gift for dealing with Snape.  Peter had always felt rather useless in comparison.

-

“You coming, Wormtail?” Remus called.  Peter adjusted his sleeve, twitching slightly.  Remus smiled at him as he came out of the loo.  “You look peaky.  You feeling all right?”

-

“Wormtail.  It should be Wormtail.  Not me.  They’ll never guess him.  And you’ll be safe.”  Peter panicked.  No.  No.  They couldn’t pick him.  Then he’d have no choice.  He wouldn’t be able to…no, this was all wrong.  It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

-

He wished the Dark Lord wouldn’t call him Wormtail.


End file.
